Experiencing jaw pain? Does your jaw click or pop when you are eating?While tiny, your jaw joint the TMJ is a vital part of your health. Any type of jaw pain can prevent healthy eating and chronic pain of any kind can begin to affect your quality of life.

Common causes of jaw pain:

Whiplash

Head or face injury

Teeth grinding and/or clenching

Stress – As a response to stress, it’s natural to hold the body tight, including the jaw.

Common Symptoms of TMJ Dysfunction:

Jaw, face or ear pain

Popping or clicking in the jaw

Difficulty in opening or closing your mouth

Headaches

If you suspect you have TMJ problems, you should first go see your dentist.

At-Home Tips You Can Use To Help Ease Tension and Pain

If you notice that your jaw hurts on the same side as you sleep this could be a major contributing factor. Try wedging a pillow under your back to prevent you from sleeping on that side.

Your jaw muscles work every day, and yet, are rarely treated to a soothing massage. Take a few minutes each day to massage your face. Gently use your fingers to massage, in small circular motions, along your cheek bone to the jaw angle looking for tender spots. If you feel tenderness that is a trigger point, press on the tender area for 15 seconds. You should start to feel the pain go away as you press. Continue to massage your cheeks, temples and forehead. It is best to repeat this daily to help the muscle stay relaxed.

Use an ice pack wrapped in a towel several times a day, for about 10-15 minutes each time. If you’re recovering from locked jaw, you may benefit from using heat packs. Once again, use for 10-15 minutes each time.

​Spend long periods of time with your jaw wide open. The extreme reversal from clenched to wide open helps to break the habit of clenching. You want your mouth to be wide open, but only as comfortable for you. Saying “ahhh” can help achieve this. Hold this for an hour, if you catch yourself with your teeth together, simply stretch your mouth open again.​

IMPORTANT : There can be many reasons for jaw pain symptoms labeled as TMJD and is often misdiagnosed. If your jaw pain does not improve with relaxation and TMJ massage, we strongly suggest that you get a second medical opinion. Jaw pain can be a sign of serious bacterial or fungal infection, or even Lyme disease. All can be very serious if left untreated.

Our modern lifestyles are often blamed for many common health problems, but surprisingly our ancestors suffered many of the same diseases.

Heart DiseaseIt was believed that ancient cultures were not stricken with the same heart diseases as modern men, mainly due to their diet which was free from high levels of sugar and fat.​However in March 2013, findings were published that found signs of heart disease in mummies from five different ancient cultures. Researchers who examined around 140 mummies found that not only the wealthy, who enjoyed a richer diet and a more sedentary lifestyle, but also the lower class people suffered from heart disease. Researchers believe that chronic inflammation from parasites, repeated infections and smoke from cooking fires could have been additional risk factors. ​

CancerRecent debates have emerged discussing whether cancer is man-made or environmental. There are so few examples of mummies with cancer, that it seemed as if the ailment didn’t exist in ancient times. Recently evidence has been uncovered that our ancestors also had to battle with cancer.​In the region known as the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa, scientist have discovered the earliest known case of cancer. An aggressive type of cancer called osteosarcoma was found in a foot belonging to a human ancestor that died 1.6-1.8 million years ago. In 2007 the oldest known case of prostate cancer was found in the remains of a 2,700 year old Russia Scythian king. Also in 2016, scientists identified a genetic mutation that increases cancer risk in an 18th century mummy. ​

BrucellosisCommon to rural farming areas in the Mediterranean, brucellosis, a bacterial infection, was believed to have only been around since the early 20th century. The most common way to be infected is by eating or drinking unpasteurized dairy products. In 2012 a researcher found 2 Albanian skeletons believed to belong to teenage males from the 10th to 13th century. Examinations on both showed bone damage consistent with brucellosis, suggesting that the disease has been present in Albania since the Middle Ages.

Schistosomiasis - Parasitic wormsSchistosomiasis is contracted through the skin when a person comes into contact with worm-infested waters. Prevalent in the delta region of Egypt, researchers have always assumed that it was a more recent pathogen, linked to urban life and stagnant water in irrigation ditches. ​In 2011 Researchers took tissue from Nubian mummies that dated between 1,200 and 1,500 years ago. They found around 34% were infected with Schistosomiasis, showing that the disease dates back thousands of years.

Tooth DecaySugar was introduced to England in the 13th century and things went downhill quickly. Queen Elizabeth 1st was known for her love of sweets, which ended up causing black and decaying teeth. It was reported that foreign ambassadors found it difficult to understand her speech because she had lost so many teeth. At that time sugar was expensive, making it a luxury that only the rich could afford and black teeth became a sign of wealth. It soon became common among lower classes to darken their teeth as to appear more wealthy.​A 2,100 year old Egyptian mummy was found to have a mouthful of cavities and tooth ailments. The man, in his 20's or 30's, had sought out an ancient dentist to help relieve the pain. Researchers found one of his cavities packed with linen cloth, which was perhaps dipped in medicinal oil to help relieve his pain. ​

Japan’s custom of dyeing one’s teeth black, Ohaguro, had been around until the 18th century. It was commonly practiced by imperial and aristocratic families. We would usually assume that this became common because of rotting black teeth, but researchers have since proven that the lacquer used to blacken the teeth was a treatment to help stop tooth decay.

Stomach UlcersStomach ulcers aren't just a problem of our stressful modern world. In 2008, researchers found the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori for the first time in a 700 year old Mexican mummy. Although previous research had suggested that H. pylori was present in these communities, this was the first evidence that it caused gastric infections that led to ulcer formation.

Obesity/DiabetesThe modern diet has rendered famine rare in the developed world, but the body continues to respond to times of plenty as if starvation is still just around the corner.We know that this can result in diabetes and obesity. But we’ve found that our ancestors were not immune. Historically, obesity and diabetes were linked only to the wealthy who could afford to binge on food and wine.​ Hesy-Ra, one the world’s first documented physicians, wrote about an illness resulting in frequent urination during the 3rd Egyptian Dynasty. The Greek physician Areataeus was the first to coin the term “diabetes”, derived from the Greek word siphon. Sources show that Indian, Persian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean doctors were aware of the condition, although not sure why it happened or how to treat it. The 6th century Indian surgeon Sushruta was one of the earliest to relate obesity to diabetes and heart disorders.​​Henry VIII was renowned for his large appetite and waist size (oh and beheading his wives.) Many historians believe his massive increase in weight was the result of overindulgence and possibly diabetes. Henry enjoyed 13 dishes each day consisting of lots of meat and pastries. He also drink around 70 pints of ale a week! By the end of his reign, the 6ft 1 in king weighed approximately 300 to 320 pounds. ​​

Bonus

Using a 10th Century Potion to Kill MRSA

Scientists from the University of Nottingham’s Center for Biomolecular Sciences and Anglo-Saxon Expert Dr. Christina Lee worked together to create a remedy found in Bald’s Leechbook. Written in Old English, it is believed to be one of the earliest known books of medical advice. The medieval salve was used to treat eye infections and included: 2 species of Allium (garlic, onion or leek), wine and cow bile. The recipe gave very specific instructions of how to make the salve including using a brass vessel to brew in, straining for purity and leaving the mixture for nine days before use. To the surprise of researchers, the ingredients had little effect on their own but when combined killed 90% of MRSA cultures in a laboratory setting.

1. Reading in the dark will hurt your eyes. When reading in dim light your eye muscles receive mixed signals: Relax to collect the most light and at the same time, contract to maintain a focused image. Your eye muscles are working harder which may result in strain. This can cause headaches, back and neck aches, blurred vision, or sore eyeballs. So although you may strain your eyes you will not weaken them.

2. Knuckle Cracking Causes ArthritisAs a rule, painless cracking of joints is not harmful. The “cracking” sound that you hear is usually from negative pressure pulling gas temporarily into the joint. If you feel pain from cracking your knuckles there could be an underlying abnormality of the joint structure, such as an injured ligament or loose cartilage. You should consult your Doctor if you have pain while cracking your knuckles.

3. You will catch a cold if you go out in the freezing weather with wet hair“You cannot catch a cold from being cold; you catch a cold from germs and being cold has nothing to do with it. Plenty of tests have been conducted proving this.” – Bill NyeWhere did this common refrain come from? Many think that French chemist Louis Pasteur is partly to blame. In 1878, he noticed that chickens where immune to anthrax and postulated that it was because of their high body temperature. He began his experiment by exposing chickens to anthrax and then dipping their feet into icy cold water to see if this affected their odds of catching the disease. All of the chickens developed anthrax and died. He then repeated his experiment, but this time he wrapped the exposed chickens in a warm blanket. All the chickens survived. Amazingly, this experiment and others are what led Louis Pasteur to discover vaccines.

Equilibrioception: The sense that allows you to keep your balance and sense body movement in terms of acceleration and directional changes.

Stretch Receptors: These are found in such places as the lungs, bladder, stomach, and the gastrointestinal tract.

Chemoreceptors: Involved in detecting blood born hormones and drugs. It also is involved in the vomiting reflex.

Magentoception: This is the ability to detect magnetic fields.

5. Eating carrots improves your visionOne of my favorite WWII myths! This myth was developed as a cover story for the new British Radar system. Not wanting to alert the Nazi’s to their new technology, they released various pieces of propaganda. They stated that the new detection method was a result of pilots eating more carrots and being able see better and more clearly in the dark. Their propaganda campaign was so successful that many British people grew and ate more vegetables at this time. This isn't a complete myth; carrots contain Vitamin A, which is very important for eye health.

6. Urinating on a Jellyfish Sting will Soothe the PainUrine and freshwater are not recommended to soothe a jellyfish sting. Any change in the salts of the cnidocyte can cause the nematocysts to release more venom, causing more pain. It is recommend to wash the area with saltwater which will deactivate the nematocysts.

7. You Can Cure a Snake Bite by Sucking Out the PoisonThis does not work and can actually cause more harm to the affected area. In recent studies, suction did not remove a significant quantity of poison and caused necrosis (death of cells) in the suctioned area. You can also cause further poisoning in the mouth’s mucous tissue if you use your mouth to suction. You can also introduce new bacteria from the mouth to the wound, further complicating the problem. What to do instead:

Keep the person calm. Stress increases the blood flow which has the effect of moving the poison through their system faster.

Keep the bitten limb below the person's heart level to minimize blood moving through the body.

Keep the person as still as possible and remove items which may constrict swelling limbs.

The term Aromatherapy was not coined until the 1930’s, but the history of Aromatherapy stretches back thousands of years. Here are a few interesting facts you might not know about essential oils!

​Note: You should never ingest essential oils without specific instruction from a trained and qualified specialist.

1.The Middle East and China have left us with the best records of essential oil use. The “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”, China’s oldest surviving medical book, lists over 300 different plants and their medicinal uses. Egyptians are credited with developing one of the first distillation machines to extract oils from plants.​2.Arabia was the first to develop perfumes and were used to aid in healing of injuries. Soldiers returning from the Crusades brought back the use of essential oils and fragrances to Europe.​

3. ​When the Plague hit, millions of people died. During the times of plague, writings describe the use of aromatic plants to combat the deadly disease. Massive fires were built in strategic areas in towns and villages and aromatic plants such as juniper or cypress where thrown on the fire to “cleanse” the air. It was reported that the only people to not succumb to the plague were workers involved in perfumery and aromatics, most likely due to the highly antiseptic properties of essential oils.

4. During the Dark Ages, Aromatherapy was banned by the Catholic Church and forced to go underground. The Catholic Church believed that the only way to cure illness was not through natural remedies but by praying and blood-letting. The ban lasted for centuries.

5. Captain James Cook first mentioned tea tree oil in 1772 during his voyage to Botany Bay, Australia. Captain Cook watched the indigenous Bundjalung people of eastern Australia use tea tree oil to treat cuts and wounds. They also made a tea to help with healing. He and his crew made a tea from the leaves to prevent scurvy and then to brew a type of beer.

6. ​The actual term "aromatherapy" first originated in 1937 when French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse invented the word after a burn incident spurred his curiosity about the healing power of essential oils. On July 25, 1910, René-Maurice was working in his lab when an explosion occurred. He wrote this about the event;“After a laboratory explosion covered me with burning substances which I extinguished by rolling on a grassy lawn, both my hands were covered with a rapidly developing gas gangrene. Just one rinse with lavender essence stopped the ‘gasification of the tissue’. This treatment was followed by profuse sweating and healing began the next day.” Gattefossé’s Aromatherapy. Gattefosse became the "Father" of Aromatherapy, dedicating his life to the research of essential oils.

7. French surgeon Jean Valnet used essential oils to help heal soldiers' wounds in World War II, proving the medical benefits of aromatherapy. Dr. Valnet was the first to record the specific properties, indications, and dosages of essential oils useful in medical practice.

8. Research in Ireland has found a few essential oils to be beneficial in fighting the superbugs that are becoming a problem in today's hospitals. Both Cinnamon and thyme essential oils have been shown to be effective in killing Staphylococcus germs on surfaces.​9. 66 Lbs of Eucalyptus leaves are needed to make 4 cups of Eucalyptus oil. In comparison, one of the most expensive oils, Bulgarian Rose Otto, takes on average 500 pounds of rose petals to make 1 ounce of rose oil. A 5 mL bottle of high quality Rose Otto should cost between $150 and $180.

Archaeological evidence of massage has been found in many ancient civilizations including China, India, Japan, Korea, Egypt, Rome, Greece, and Mesopotamia.Here are just a few amazing facts about massage!

1. An early reference to massage and reflexology in Ancient Egypt can be found in the decorations of the tomb of Ptahhotep . Ptahhotep is depicted having a manicure and pedicure and having his legs massaged by a servant.

2. The Kahun Medical Papyrus is a collection of ancient Egyptian texts discussing administrative, mathematical and medical topics, with most texts dated to 1825 BC. It contains a detailed reference to massage:“Examination of a woman aching in her legs and her calves after walking. You should treat it with a massage of her legs and calves with mud until she is well.”

3. Depictions of the battle of Kadesh (Qadesh) show the soldiers of Ramses II receiving a much needed massage treatment following their long march.

4. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Book of Internal Medicine, dated between 722-481 BC, is a compilation of medical knowledge known up to that date. Massage is referred to in 30 different chapters, with specific treatments using massage for injuries or ailments.

5. Sanskrit records indicate that massage had been practiced in India long before the beginning of recorded history.

6. Bian Que, the earliest known Chinese physician used massage in his medical practice. And in 581 AD China established a department of massage therapy within the Office of Imperial Physicians.

7. The Greeks are credited with practicing massage between 800 and 700 BC, after the philosophies and practices of the East made their way into ancient Western civilizations. One of the primary uses for massage during ancient Greek times was to tend to the athletes who trained for the Olympics.

8. Roman massage therapy practices have a history that is traced back to between 200 and 100 BCE. It became commonplace to see the well off enjoy massages within the comforts of their own homes.

9. Julius Caesar used massage as a treatment for his epilepsy.

10. French missionaries introduced Chinese massage techniques to Europe in 1776. They translated summaries of The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Book of Internal Medicine, including a list of medical plants, exercises and elaborate massage techniques.

11. Techniques are still known by their French names: Effleurage, Petrissage, Friction, Tapotement, and Vibration. These techniques are fundamental elements of Tui na, and have been practiced in China for several thousand years.

1. If you don’t feel comfortable removing all your clothing, discuss it with your therapist. You can both come up with a plan so you can remain comfortable and the therapist will still be able to focus on your problem areas. If you would prefer to remain completely clothed, you can try chair massage and still receive the beneficial effects of massage!

2. Don't eat just before a massage session. After eating, our blood rushes to the stomach to aid in digestion. When you receive a massage the blood is drawn away from the stomach to the areas being massaged. If you've eaten just before a massage, this can cause indigestion.

3. To talk or not to talk? Some people enjoy talking during their session while others enjoy silence. You should do whatever feels comfortable and your therapist will follow your lead.

4. Good communication is key for both you and your therapist. Before the session, let your therapist know of any new health information and what you are looking for in the session. During the session, speak up and give feedback on speed, pressure, music or anything else that would make you feel more comfortable.

5. If you feel like you are tightening up during your massage, let your therapist know. Your therapist can adjust technique, speed and depth of their stroke to help relax the area.

6. During the session, if your therapist hits a “knot” or Trigger Point, very often people will stop breathing if the pressure is too deep. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation, so this is the opposite of what we want. You want to be able to breathe through the pain and we want the pain to “hurt so good.”

7. It can be hard to quiet the mind during a massage. One way to bring your focus back to your body and quiet your mind is to follow the hands of the massage therapist.

8. Drink extra water after your massage. This is very important! After a massage, it’s important to flush all the toxins out of your system. It also helps to release “knots” hours after the massage! If you get a headache or feel nauseous after a massage, this is your first sign you’re not drinking enough water.

9. It’s not uncommon to feel dizzy or light headed after a massage. Take a few minutes to relax before getting off the table slowly.

10. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often you receive a massage, your body will respond quicker and you will feel better. If you are getting massage for chronic muscular tension or recover from an injury, more than one session is usually needed, so be prepared to schedule several sessions.

​***If anything happens during the massage that you dislike or seems improper, you have the right to ask the massage therapist to stop. If necessary, you also have the right to end the session.***

The Myokinesthetic System is a unique, non-invasive technique that offers real pain relief and lasting results. This is not a massage technique and no lotion or oils are used. You remain fully clothed and each session can last between 15-45 minutes.

By addressing a specific problem within the body, you can clear the muscle memory and re-educate the muscle. This is done by stretching with stimulation to each muscle along the nerve root causing the problem.

When I first took the class I was a bit skeptic of how fast results could be seen. It was about 2 months after I took the class that my right shoulder started to act up. I woke up one day and I could not put on a shirt or reach behind me without extreme pain. Given my occupation (massage therapist), this was not okay and needed to be fixed very soon. My husband preformed the treatment on me, as I walked him through it. That night I didn’t notice much change, but the next morning I was completely pain-free!!! To say the least I was pretty amazed and convinced in the Myokinesthetic System.Now I must point out that I was able to see lasting results so soon only because I acted quickly. But by no means am I saying you won’t see results from an injury you’ve had for 5 years, it just may take 5-8 sessions.

If you’re interested in the Myokinesthetic System, you can get more information HERE

Heather McNay

I've been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2006. In my free time I enjoy hiking with my husband and dog. I also have a passion for cooking, baking and gardening.